More Than A Joke
by Mrs. HopeEstheim
Summary: Elfman has been gone for two weeks too long, and it's taking its toll on his sisters and a certain female member of the Raijinshuu. Elf/Ever. T for language.


**Hey, guys! It's been too long since I did my only other ElfEver/EverElf, and since they deserve more love than they get, it's time for another one!**

**Okay, so that sounded really optimistic. If you like it, you like it, and if you don't you don't. But I hope you do. If that makes sense at all! Haha.**

**Here we go!**

* * *

><p>It was just a <em>joke<em>.

Evergreen tried to tell herself that it didn't mean anything and that it was just a ploy to knock Mirajane off guard on Tenrou Island during the exams. She tried to tell herself that Elfman didn't matter to her as more than anyone else in the guild. She tried to tell herself that she _didn't care_ that he wasn't back yet from a job that should have only taken three days. She tried to tell herself that it _didn't matter_ that he was two weeks overdue.

But it _did_.

And she couldn't _stand_ it.

Because she was _Evergreen_, the gorgeous woman of the Raijinshuu tribe, she should be able to get any man she wanted. And yet, why was the _only_ one she wanted a giant, muscled lump of flesh who was overly obsessed with manly things?

He'd been gone two weeks too long, and she didn't like it. Evergreen was fretting more than both of his sisters combined, which was _really_ saying something, because Mirajane never wanted to lose another of her siblings again and Lisanna didn't want Mirajane to ever go through _that_ again. Evergreen was frantic with worry, driving both of her teammates and even the newly reinstated Laxus insane with her nervousness. She would stand up at random moments, pacing agitatedly back and forth until one of them finally got fed up with it and snapped at her and even then, she didn't stop. And if she did, she'd end up staring listlessly out of the nearest window, wanting nothing more than to see that manly lug loping up the street with that stupid, idiotic grin on his face.

"Why don't you just go after him?"

"…after him?"

"Go!"

"Why don't you?"

"Go after him!"

"Just go!"

Evergeen froze, turning around in her chair to look at Bixlow and his five seith dolls. Fried and Laxus were nodding their agreement, the former sitting primly and properly in his seat and the latter lounging back as though he owned the place. She wanted to act incredulous, but all she could manage was to stare dumbly at them because she hadn't realized that her feelings were written so plainly on her face.

"What nonsense are you spouting off?" she finally said, jerking her attention away and letting her eyes immediately be drawn to the window. The street below was disgustingly empty and it made her want to throw up.

"Elfman," Laxus said simply.

"Elfman," Fried nodded in agreement for the second time, smiling kindly at her. "You're worried. You should go make sure he gets back alive. After all, you two _are_ getting married."

The blood rushed up into her cheeks and she stood up so quickly that her chair fell with a _thwack_ on the floor. Evergreen could feel her face absolutely _burning_ and she hated that it was _him_ that made her this way.

"We are not!" she exclaimed shrilly, though she hardly convinced anyone that she didn't like him with how shaky her voice was and how red her cheeks had become. "It was just a trick, to get through! How many times have I told you it wasn't true?"

"A hundred times, maybe?" Laxus shrugged unconcernedly.

"I'm sure you'll have to tell us a hundred times more for it to stick," Fried said sagely. "Especially when you're wearing that kind of face when thinking about him."

Evergreen threw her hands in the air wordlessly, stalking away from the silently laughing men that were her closest friends in the world. She tried in vain to ignore the truth in their words. But those words, and the fact that they were _true_, wouldn't leave her alone. It was frustrating and nerve-wracking and she just wanted it to _stop_ but she knew it wouldn't stop until _he_ was back, and safely. It pissed her off that everyone knew, that her expressions were written so clearly that everyone could see them, but there was no helping it.

She downed the shot she hadn't realized Mirajane pouring for her, and the next one, and one more after that, before she noticed what she was doing. With a slow and deliberate motion, she sat the fourth shot back down, letting a breath pass her lips in exasperation. There was only one solution to it all, and she hated it all. She just couldn't help it anymore.

"Thanks, Mira," Evergreen said, picking the shot up and downing it. "Is it too much to ask for just one more before I head out?"

Somehow, Evergreen was keeping her cool. Inconceivably, she wasn't fretting as much now that she was actually going to go after him. And though she still hated the effect he had on her, she couldn't deny that there _was_ an effect, and a strong one at that. The calm demeanor she portrayed did not particularly portray her racing heart, but that was something she was thankful for.

"Of course it isn't a problem!" Mirajane cried, almost as if the question had offended her. Which, Evergreen mused, it very well could have done. It wasn't long before the fifth shot was in front of the beautiful brunette, and she downed it just as quickly as she had done the first three.

"Thank you," Evergreen said, nodding, before turning on her heel and walking straight out of the guild.

"Where's she goin'?" Bixlow asked his companions as they watched their teammate and friend leave the guild. The five seith dolls imitated him without any kind of prompting.

"Isn't it obvious?" Laxus scoffed, lounging back in his chair just as he'd been doing before the girl had left their table, this time with the benefit of her vacated seat as a footstool. At Bixlow's sort of confused expression, Fried exchanged a glance with his blonde leader and sighed, shaking his head. Sometimes Bixlow's obliviousness worried him.

"Ever's going after Elfman, of course," Fried explained, "though she probably doesn't want anyone else to know that."

Understanding dawned on his face, and he had the decency to look embarrassed.

* * *

><p>"I'm abso-freaking-lutely insane," Evergreen muttered to herself, tugging her coat more firmly around her as she looked around her Fairy Hills room. Everything was in order and she had her moderately sized green duffel sitting ready at her feet. In the fashionable little purse slung around her body, she carried plenty of money to make it to where that <em>idiot<em> was supposed to be. And enough money to make it back for both of them, if need be.

And she _hated_ that she was giving in, but what else could she do? She was distracted and even her closest of friends were poking fun at her. It wasn't like she hated her friends for their fun, but that she hated how well they knew her and, consequently, how easy her feelings were for at least Fried and Laxus to read. But she would go through with her decision because she just couldn't lie to herself anymore.

She might just kind-of sort-of like him.

"Here goes nothing," Evergreen told herself, frowning as she hefted her bag. She stepped out of her rooms, looking back and sighing heavily as she started striding confidently down the hall. Her three-inch heeled boots clunked heavily on the floors and a few curious glances from other girls who had turned in early followed her, but she didn't pay much attention. She loathed admitting it, but her heart was making little excited lurches because she'd see him soon. And she _would_ see him, because the alternative possibilities hurt too much to think about.

Her feet crunched in the light snow that had fallen since she had went in to pack, but she didn't pay it much heed, making her way swiftly towards the train station. She'd be getting on the train as soon as possible and would be on her way halfway across Fiore to find that lovable oaf—though she'd never admit to calling him _that_, either—and soon after finding him they'd be coming home together and everyone would be more at ease.

"One ticket to Lilletta," Evergreen pronounced as soon as she reached the desk. The lady behind it looked up, spotted the Fairy Tail emblem boldly emblazoned above the brunette's generous chest, and immediately slid the ticket across.

"Unfortunately there are other stops on the way," the woman told Evergreen apologetically, "but this will get you there by around midnight. Good luck!"

The brunette laughed a little, knowing that the other woman was unaware how much of that luck might be needed. Evergreen didn't even know how much luck she'd need, but it probably wouldn't hurt to have a bit of fortune in her endeavor. After all, Elfman wasn't known for being very easily overpowered on the jobs he took because he knew is limitations. And when it mattered, every member of Fairy Tail could pull out extra stops.

In other words, Evergreen was much more worried than she had ever thought to be.

And it was extremely frustrating.

* * *

><p>Everything was swirling, swirling, swirling. The world was spinning. Colors blurred together in an endless whirlwind, making escape from whatever hell this was impossible. Confusion and desperation mingled together, bringing on despair. It was despair strong enough to make even the bravest of men tremble in their shoes.<p>

Luckily for the man going through this torment, unconsciousness overtook him once more.

* * *

><p>Lilletta was a small town, so a man like the white-haired Elfman would be hard to miss. Evergreen was half hoping that she'd run into him on the street, but she had no such luck as she made her way directly to the person who'd posted the request at Fairy Tail. The home was supposedly located on the outskirts of the town, and after asking one person, the Fairy Tail woman found the place with ease. She strode briskly up the cobblestone sidewalk and rapped sharply on the door. She knew her irritation was leaking out but it did so no matter how much she tried to make it cease.<p>

"Yes?" a little middle-aged woman opened the door, looking up slightly at Evergreen. "How may I help you, miss?"

The brunette pulled the collar of her coat down far enough to show her guild marking and the woman's eyes widened just slightly.

"My name is Evergreen, from Fairy Tail, and I'm looking for my—for Elfman."

_My _what_, exactly?_ Evergreen asked herself mentally, reflecting upon her statement.

"He went out on the job about…seventeen days ago?" the woman waited for some sign of confirmation, and the Fairy Tail mage present nodded. "My son and I told him everything we knew about the beasts out there and warned him of a few rumors about rogue mages around…and then he left. He's very confident, you know?"

"You mentioned your son. Where is he? Can I ask him some questions?"

"My son went looking for your man about four days ago, and I haven't heard from him since," the woman said, her lip trembling slightly.

"I'm going to need to know everything that you know so I can go after them," Evergreen told the woman gently, cursing herself for growing soft. The incredulous look cast in her direction by the middle-aged woman proved that the woman didn't think Evergreen was capable of handling something that the buff and burly Elfman couldn't. "Trust me. I'm much more than I look."

"I don't know—a pretty girl like you? I don't want you to…"

"To what? Do my job? Get hurt?"

The patience of the only woman in the Raijinshuu was wearing very, very thin. She wanted to know where Elfman was, and she wanted to find him _now_ so they could go home together. The only thing standing in the way of finding him was this woman in front of her who was refusing to help her. It angered her somewhat, although she did kind of understand the woman's trepidation and her unease at the thought of sending a woman out into the battle that two men couldn't even succeed in.

"I…"

There was a loud thump from the back porch and both women jumped. The middle-aged homeowner began to head in that direction, but Evergreen stepped forward quickly and grabbed her by the shoulder. When she had the woman's undivided attention, she shook her head in a firm no and motioned for her to stay back. The mage then took the initiative, placing her hand on the cool doorknob and slowly opening it. There was no one there—at least, not at first glance—but then there was a feeble voice and Evergreen started, looking downwards.

"Ma…?"

"Ginta?" the middle-aged woman said, rushing past Evergreen with all caution forgotten. She rushed to the side of the young man that lay on the porch as the brunette mage took the moment to examine him critically. He couldn't be any older than she was, and he looked a lot like his mother. What was worse, though, was the blood on his hands as his mother helped him to sit up. He also had a wound on his temple and looked a bit singed, but acted as if he would be fine with a few hours of rest.

Evergreen couldn't follow the conversation between mother and son because it was in hushed tones, but she could get the gist of it. Something had gone terribly wrong, something was much more than it seemed, and Elfman had been caught up in it, too.

"You—hey, Miss," the Raijinshuu's female member jumped at being addressed by the injured son. "You're Fairy Tail, aren't you? You're here to find him, right?"

Evergreen nodded.

"They got him," the boy, Ginta, took a deep breath. "There were a few rogue mages that banded together, and some huge magic monsters, and somehow I guess they caught him. I d-don't know what they're doing to him, exactly…but it isn't good. He's locked up…I just barely got away after catching a glimpse of him. I—I think they're drugging him."

"Damn it, Elfman!" the furious woman in love cursed, adjusting her duffel that was still slung across her shoulders. She turned her gaze on the injured man. "Which direction is it?"

"I don't…it's too dangerous!" he tried, looking imploringly at his mother.

"I am Evergreen of Fairy Tail, member of the Raijinshuu tribe, one of the strongest trios, and you _will_ tell me where I can find my fellow guild member," the anger was mounting but she did her best to fight it back. "And once you tell me where he is, I can get out of your home and you can get the local doctor or healing mage to patch you up. I'm not a very patient woman, so hurry up! I need to find Elfman and bring him home."

"Ma…" the one called Ginta still looked at his mother as if begging her to do something, but she nodded slowly.

"Tell her, Ginta," the middle-aged woman looked up at Evergreen. "She needs to know."

He didn't look convinced, but the young man finally said, "Due east of here, about seven miles into the forest. There's nine or ten mages that I saw, but there might be more than that. They don't have a very good hideout yet. It's just a collection of tents with this cage thing in the middle. It's…it's horrible. Why don't you wait for help?"

"He's been waiting for over two weeks," Evergreen pointed out icily. "I've been waiting for over two weeks. I think that's long enough."

As an afterthought as she prepared to step out the back door, she tossed over her shoulder, "Thanks for telling me. I imagine we'll be back through shortly."

And then she swept out of the small abode with her graceful strides, determination leaking out of her very pores. The mother and son she left behind stared wordlessly after her. It had been one thing to see the nearly overly buff man at their door to accept their request, but it was another situation entirely to have such a gorgeous young woman there that exuded such an aura of power and determination that they couldn't help but give her the information she desired.

"Those Fairy Tail mages are made of tough stuff," Ginta remarked softly.

"We could use more mages like them around here," his mother agreed, and then raised her voice to call out to the retreating brunette, "Supper's on the table at exactly seven o'clock every night! We expect you here tomorrow for it!"

Her son laughed at her, then winced at the pain it caused him. The older woman noticed and closed the door gently, blocking the retreating mage from their sights.

"Ah, the bag!" the son said, reaching to grasp the pack that neither of the women had noticed. "It's that guy's bag. I found it on my way out to look for him and just kept it with me…"

"Well, we'll keep it here for when they get back," his mother took the pack from him and sat it in the house before heading back to her son.

"Now to get you some medical attention, you foolish boy!"

* * *

><p>Evergreen made her way into the forest, not even stopping to rest as she stumbled over a few tree roots in her insensible heels. She hadn't bothered to change her shoes in her hurry, and really, it didn't matter that much to her just so long as she got to Elfman in time. Making sure he was safe was tantamount to her comfort. In her hurry, she didn't bother with silence, nor did she bother with her glasses. The glasses were hooked haphazardly on a side pocket of her bag. It left her more readily able to use her magic since there was no longer anything between her eyes and whosoever she wanted to use her powers on.<p>

One thing the brunette _did_ do, however, was cover up her guild emblem. If she could walk right into the camp without interference, it would make it so much easier to find out what the rogue mages were all about and help her find out how to get her oaf out of there. If she so boldly flaunted the Fairy Tail marking they would know what she was up to and she just couldn't have that.

"You owe me, Elfman," she huffed to herself, stepping over another root before she could trip. She was getting good at avoiding things that would make her stumble or fall.

"Stop!"

If the voice startled Evergreen, she didn't let it show. She stopped in her tracks, propping a hand on her hip and tossing her hair over her shoulder arrogantly, looking around for whoever had called to her. Two men came out of the trees on either side of her, seemingly materializing out of thin air. Both wore masks of dark cloth over the lower halves of their faces, almost like ninja or bandits.

"What are you doing in these parts of the forest? The town is in the other direction," the one on her right said, gesturing the way she had come. He had blonde hair and striking green eyes, but Evergreen couldn't care less about him.

"I could escort you back if you needed," offered the other one, black locks of hair falling in his face and in front of his slate colored eyes. Both of these two men were quite handsome, but the brunette wasn't interested in the least. She hardly even noticed that they were good looking.

"I heard there was a camp of mages out here," Evergreen tossed her hair again, hoping to play these two men. "I came to look around and see if it interested me at all. Is there a problem with that?"

"Not at all," someone said, but it wasn't either of the men near her. She raised her gaze to see a tall, thin man walking through the trees toward her. He had long brown hair, tied back messily, and cold black eyes. "We're happy to have new recruits, just so long as they support our cause. Only…you're not here to join up, are you?"

It was no good. Evergreen knew this man from a job before with Laxus, Fried, and Bixlow. He must have broken out of jail…or maybe he'd already served his time? The brunette bit her lip to keep her response from passing her lips.

"Evergreen, isn't it?" the man drawled, pausing barely a foot in front of her. He towered above her. "I wish I knew more about you. What type of magic do you have? I never got to see because your cohorts took care of everything that time. Why don't we have a little…chat…?"

His hand came up to caress her cheek, and she slapped it away almost instantly. This man disgusted her with his casual attitude, and with his arrogance.

"Don't touch me," she said darkly.

"As I thought," he rolled his shoulders as if her rejection hadn't bothered him in the least. "You're here for that big white-haired idiot, aren't you? He wouldn't stop causing a racket for days until we finally shot him with some tranquilizers. And even then, he didn't go down for an hour or two. Very persistent fellow, he is. How many like him have you got at that guild of yours?"

"More than you and any number of rogues can handle," was the reply that Evergreen spit out.

"Including yourself, no doubt," the man held his hands out in a '_what can you do?'_ kind of way. "Are we going to have to tranquilize you, too? Or are you going to join your friend in that cage without complaint?"

"Cage? You think you can get me in a _cage_?" the female mage fumed. "Look me in the eyes and say it again!"

He laughed, but looked her in the eye anyway. The other two men cried out in shock and surprise as the tall one turned to stone right before their eyes. Evergreen turned to the blonde and he turned to stare at her, wide-eyed. It wasn't long before he was turning to stone, as well, and the one with black hair yelped and took a step back.

"B-boss? V-Van?" he stuttered, looking from one stone man to the next before looking at Evergreen. "Y-you're…who are you? Medusa?"

Evergreen smirked. "I'm Evergreen, of Fairy Tail."

That was the last thing he heard before he made the third perfectly human shaped statue in that area.

Evergreen walked in the direction that the brunette man had come from, knowing for sure that Elfman would be just through these trees. She didn't have any qualms with turning the men to stone—she knew they'd turn back in just a few hours, anyway. And she wanted to get to Elfman quickly so it wouldn't be too long before she could go home. She didn't care if she'd have to _carry_ the oaf, just so long as they got out of there in time to catch tomorrow's evening train.

* * *

><p>Elfman groaned, blinking his eyes open as he tried to recognize his surroundings. The metal bars of his cage came into view after his blurry vision subsided, and he let himself groan. He couldn't even remember how long he'd been there, but he knew he'd been drugged for at least half of the time. Those tranquilizers hurt like hell, and made him feel dizzy for a few hours before he actually passed out from their effects.<p>

Slowly, the man groggily sat up, frowning at the metal bars of his prison.

"Heh, you're finally awake again?"

The white-haired man looked up at the grungy looking mage who lounged against his cage. The greasy-haired man was smirking in a manner that made Elfman want nothing more than to do his Beast Soul takeover and squash it right off of his face…but Elfman couldn't even use his takeover magic for his arm. There was an enchantment on the cage that disallowed the use of any magic within its confines. So it was no wonder that he hadn't been able to get out. No one had come for him—_yet_—and he definitely didn't have any way of winning over someone here, so he'd have to wait. He'd be fine as long as they didn't kill him or something before his sister could get there.

He didn't know that it really wasn't Mirajane coming after him at all five minutes later when he heard the terrified scream of, "Medusa! It's Medusa!"

* * *

><p>The easily frightened ginger that had just been turned to stone made Evergreen scoff. She'd come all this way to help Elfman, and they weren't even going to put up a fight against her? How had they managed to capture her white-haired idiot, then? Was he really just <em>that<em> stupid? And then the woman shook her head, sighing. She knew that was a bit harsh on Elfman, but really…how did these weaklings manage to get him? She resolved to ask him when she found him.

A woman ran around the corner of a roughly built shack just ahead, her messy blonde hair roughly tied back as she pulled out a magic gun. Evergreen's rage deepened incomprehensively and she smiled evilly at the woman. It wouldn't be until later that she realized her rage was because this new woman was probably the one who'd been tranquilizing her white-haired idiot. With the menacing smile Evergreen was giving her, the blonde woman couldn't help but to stumble back, her eyes widening. She raised her gun to aim it at Evergreen, but hesitated to pull the trigger. The smile that Evergreen was giving her was creepy and hinted at danger.

"Y-you're some kind of demon, aren't you?" the gun mage demanded, her hands and voice shaking.

"Maybe," Evergreen responded, her grin widening as the woman turned to stone before her eyes. She didn't know that the person she was here to save could clearly see the gun mage turn to stone.

* * *

><p>"What the—Angelica?" the greasy-haired man started to lunge forward as the blonde woman turned to stone, but Elfman was faster. He lunged forward and thrust his bulky arm through the bars, managing to put the guard in a chokehold. The man spluttered for a second, struggling, then growled and stopped resisting, resigned.<p>

"Evergreen?" Elfman called, still not quite believing it.

And she stepped out from behind the stone woman, her hip cocked and a frown on her face. She was _pissed_…at _him._ He didn't even know what he'd done, but he was glad to see her. He was going to get his ass kicked by her later, but it was worth it.

"How the _hell_ did these weaklings manage to capture you, you _idiot_?" she demanded, casting one glance at a mage who was running toward her from another direction. He froze in his tracks. Elfman swelled with pride at what his fellow Fairy Tail member could accomplish in the span of a few seconds. Evergreen was really a force to be reckoned with when she was angry so he resolved that, once they were out of here, he'd try not to get on her bad side again.

"Um…while I was sleeping?" Elfman suggested weakly in answer to her question, which was actually true. Evergreen sighed, putting a hand to her head. He could tell that she knew he was telling the truth.

"Let…go…of…me!" the man in Elfman's chokehold grunted, struggling once more.

"Let him go," Evergreen told Elfman—actually, it was more like an order, but Elfman didn't mind. He let the greasy-haired man go and he fell to his knees, spluttering a little. He picked one leg up then and made as if to get up but he looked up. It was this mistake that caused him to meet the same fate as everyone else that the furious woman had run into on her way here.

Before he was completely stone, he gasped, "Me…Medusa!"

"Tch," Evergreen made a sound of dissent. "I'm not that ugly. I prefer to be called the true Titania…but it can't be helped, I suppose."

"Evergreen…" Elfman caught her attention again. "What are you doing here?"

"What else?" she said huffily, stepping forward and knocking the lock of the cage off just by hitting it. She was that angry. "I'm getting you out. Let's go before the petrification wears off. Unless you'd rather I left and brought your sisters back to bust you out?"

The white-haired man colored.

"N-no, that's fine. It's not manly to be saved by your sisters," he forced a laugh, and Evergreen couldn't help but chuckle as she asked the question that entered her mind.

"Oh…so is it manly to be saved by me?"

"Not really…" he sighed, "but it's better than being saved by Mira-nee. She'd be worried and fussing all over me…and you're not. Thanks, Ever."

Evergreen's smile softened a little, but then she bristled. She couldn't soften in front of him, even if she _did_ like him!

"Hey!" she slapped him in the back of the head. "Who gave you permission to call me that?"

He rubbed his head sheepishly. "Sorry."

_Damn it_, she just couldn't stay mad at him. Sighing, she said, "Don't worry about it. Let's get back to town before it gets dark."

She didn't protest when he dropped his large arm around her shoulders as they walked out through the statues that Evergreen had made in her frenzy to reach him. In fact, it was warm and comforting and she rather liked it, though she would like to keep that fact to herself. Even so, her cheeks took on a little color and she stalwartly kept her gaze on anything around her _but_ Elfman.

* * *

><p>They reached Lilletta around nine at night, so darkness had already fallen, but as they neared town, the back door of the little house that the bill's petitioner lived in was flung open.<p>

"Ma, they're back already!"

The middle-aged woman appeared at the door with her son, staring out with wide eyes as Evergreen and Elfman drew nearer. Elfman was leaning heavily on Evergreen, the continued use of tranquilizers on his body having begun to take its toll, but the brunette didn't mind. Her arm looked small and delicate wrapped around his large waist, and her other hand looked tiny against his as she held him firmly. The middle-aged woman and her son shared a look, and Ginta rushed out to take Elfman's other arm as his mother held the door open.

"You can stay the night here, you two," the kindly woman smiled tenderly as Evergreen edged in the door, warning Eflman to duck his head. "I'll heat up a late supper for you, so go get cleaned up."

"That isn't necessary," Evergreen said, shaking her head. "If you'll give us a few minutes to rest, we'll head to the inn—"

"I insist," the woman cut her off.

"If you insist, the manly thing is to accept your offer," Elfman gently elbowed Evergreen, and she closed her mouth, cutting off whatever protest she was preparing to make. The way that Evergreen's eyes softened upon looking at the man didn't escape the older woman's notice. "Thanks, Ms. Tatenu."

"It's nothing at all!" the kindly woman smiled, "Please just call me Reina."

"Thank you, Reina," Evergreen bowed politely, any former hostility forgotten. The older woman found Evergreen's attitude changes rather endearing and, not for the first time, wished her son would just find a woman and get married already so she could have a daughter of her own.

"Now go get cleaned up," Reina said, still smiling. "Ginta, show Elfman to your shower. Evergreen, you can use mine. Follow me."

For a small home, it was surprising that there were two showers, but Evergreen didn't comment on it. She thanked the woman instead, who just offered her a knowing smile. The brunette mage let color flood her cheeks and turned away, embarrassed. Reina placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't be embarrassed, dear," she soothed. "It's only natural. And I think you should tell him."

If anything, Evergreen turned redder when the woman walked away.

* * *

><p>"Sorry I couldn't get you out, man," Ginta apologized as he led the tired mage towards his personal bathroom. "I got back right after the other mage got here—I never caught her name—and when I told her where you were, she left. I didn't want to put her in danger like that, but it looks like you're both without a scratch! She's gotta be kind of scary, eh?"<p>

"Sometimes," Elfman nodded in agreement. "Don't ever underestimate Evergreen; she's a really strong mage. She has two types of magic, but her main one can turn people to stone if they meet her eyes."

"Like Medusa!" Ginta laughed. "So she really is strong. I can see why you like her, man."

Elfman felt his cheeks burning. "I—um…is it really that obvious?"

It wasn't manly to blush so much, but he really couldn't help it. Evergreen had been on his mind since they'd tricked Mirajane at the S-Class Exams. Sure, it had all started out as one big joke, just to freak her out and get past her…but now? Now the large white-haired brother wanted it to actually be true. Well, maybe not that they were getting married, not yet, but at least going on a date seemed like a good start.

Ginta's laughter broke into Elfman's thoughts.

"Obvious? Of course it's that obvious! Why don't you just make a move?"

"I—" Elfman stutteringly began.

"Ah, don't worry about it right now. Get in there and take your shower. Oh! Here," Ginta ran off for a moment and then he was back and handing Elfman his long-lost pack. "I found this at a campsite—I guess they got you in your sleep, eh? Here's all your stuff. Go wash up and get changed because—forgive me if I'm too honest—you kind of stink, man."

Elfman laughed a little. "Thanks."

Ginta grinned. "No problem."

* * *

><p>Once the two had finished with their showers, they learned that Ginta had run to the police to tell them about the rogue mages, and that the police were heading out there to apprehend the stone men and woman.<p>

Reina then sat the two down and a meal was sat in front of them as she once more cast a knowing glance at Evergreen. There was no more teasing through their brief meal. Ginta and his mother, Reina, just sat up with them and kept them company, talking and laughing and sipping at some tea that Reina had made. Evergreen was somewhat embarrassed by Elfman's ravening hunger, but their generous hosts just laughed it off and cooked something more. His hunger was understandable, of course, seeing as he hadn't had a proper meal in two weeks and he was used to eating ten times what a normal person eats, and besides that, Evergreen couldn't stay mad at him for very long. She was just happy that he was alive and well. She knew his sisters and everyone else at the guild would be happy to see him when they got back, but she was glad she got these few minutes kind of alone with him.

They slept well that night after they had actually fallen asleep. They shared the guest room, though there were two separate beds—for which both were somewhat glad but also secretly just a little disappointed. Their hosts let them sleep all of the previous day's stress off and insisted on an early lunch when the two had woken up around eleven.

When it came time for Evergeen and Elfman to catch the train back to Magnolia, Ginta and Reina walked them to the train station. Once there, they prepared to say their goodbyes.

"Here," Reina pressed a bag that jingled into Elfman's hand. "For your work."

"But I failed at—" Elfman tried.

"You didn't fail. You just needed some help," Reina smiled at him. "And that's why your lovely partner is getting the other half of the reward money."

Evergreen tried to refuse, but Reina pressed the bag into her hands and curled the mage's fingers around it. The middle-aged woman winked at Evergreen and mouthed a _good luck_ at her, which immediately drew the blood to her cheeks.

"Thank you both for your work," Ginta bowed to them, smiling. His mother repeated the action, casting a truly grateful smile in their direction.

"Yes, thanks to your work, the local authorities were able to capture most of the rogue mages. The others shouldn't cause much of a problem without their ringleader. Thank you very much for answering my request!" Reina was very energetic for a woman of her age.

"You're welcome," Evergreen and Elfman said in unison, bowing slightly in return. Evergreen then continued with, "It was our pleasure."

"If you're ever in the area, drop by for a visit!" Ginta waved at them as the train's whistle shrilled out in warning. The two Fairy Tail mages picked up their bags and nodded to the young man, bowing shortly to their hosts once more before clambering onto the train before the doors closed. Evergreen paused and waved regally to the two while Elfman paused and waved energetically, like a young child heading off to Hogwarts—wasn't that the name of the school in the books she'd read recently?

"Let's find a place to sit," Evergreen said, coloring at the weird looks that other passengers were giving them. She didn't think anything of it when she took Elfman by the hand and pulled him along, but he just grinned to himself and gently squeezed her hand back.

* * *

><p>"Home sweet home," Elfman sighed, staring around him at the familiar sight of Magnolia's train station.<p>

"Yeah, yeah. Let's just go so your sisters stop mooning around, okay?"

Suddenly much more outgoing than he'd ever been before around this absolutely beautiful woman, he trapped one of her delicate hands within one of his much larger ones and grinned down at her when she jerked her head up to look at him.

"Were you mooning around, too?"

The blood rushed to Evergreen's cheeks and she averted her gaze quickly.

"Tch," was the only answer he got as she began to stalk off towards the guild. Her hand was still wrapped firmly in his and so she didn't move very much. Elfman chuckled at her and, once more acting on instinct rather than thinking the action through, he leaned down from his considerable height and pressed his lips to her forehead gently.

"Let's go," he said cheerfully, pulling her along with him as he walked the familiar path towards Fairy Tail.

"I—what—Elfman!" she protested, and with a glance over his shoulder he saw that her entire face, including her neck and ears, was red. It was rather cute on her. And upon seeing the expression, he wondered if he shouldn't just take Ginta's advice to heart. The worst it could do was provoke her to hit him, right? Or just flat out refuse him. But he was a big boy—a _man_—and he could take it. Besides, Elfman wasn't really the type to give up, so if she refused him he'd just try again sometime.

"So, Ever, I was thinking a little," he started, making it sound a lot more casual than it felt, "and I was wondering if you'd like to go out to dinner tonight. If you'd be willing, I'll drop by to pick you up around seven. So?"

Evergreen made a few rather unintelligent sounds that couldn't be mistaken as words and then dragged him to a halt by digging her heels into the ground. He paused and looked around to see her frustrated pout. It was a very odd expression for her to wear and it made his heart beat several times faster than it already was.

"Don't you dare be late," she warned him, and a smile slowly grew until he was beaming at her. Elfman squeezed her hand just a little tighter.

"Wouldn't dream of it," he responded, and she grinned devilishly back at him as she squeezed his hand in return. The two then walked side-by-side and hand-in-hand on their way to the guild.

It was new, and it was different, but it was real and it was right and Evergreen really didn't care anymore.

And it was all worth it when Mirajane keeled over in a dead faint after rushing to her brother, gushing about how happy she was that he was back, and then noticing the interlocked hands of Elfman and Evergreen. She looked from their hands, to their faces, and muttered, "W-what? It was _true_?" and promptly started to fall.

Evergreen smirked knowingly at Fried, who was suspiciously close enough to catch the woman before she could hit the ground. The pink on his cheeks made it all worth it, too.

Sure, it had all started out as a joke…but now? Now it was much, _much_ more than Evergreen or Elfman could have ever dreamed of or hoped for, but it was just fine by them. And who knew? Maybe someday they really _would_ get married, like they had told Mirajane.

The thought made Evergreen flush just slightly, even as _her_ oaf was tugged away from her by everyone else. She wanted to monopolize his attention, of course, but she would let their nakama have him for a while. After all, everyone had been worried about him. It wasn't just Evergreen who cared that much for him. The happy aura of the guild was beginning to come back, and it made everyone, including Evergreen, feel so much lighter. It was a great feeling, having Elfman back among them. She couldn't blame their nakama for being so excited. So she would give them this time with him, but come seven o'clock, his attention would be all hers and she would use the opportunity to make sure that it was _always_ hers.

And she couldn't help feeling like she shouldn't have fallen for him, but she did and somehow, it was okay.

* * *

><p><strong>This one is just over 7000 words, without my Author's Notes. I'm so happy! Haha. Elfman and Evergreen deserved a bit more love, don't you agree? I feel like they might be just a bit out of character, which I strongly dislike, but sometimes it can't be helped. I have to write a lot about a character before I can fully grasp them, I think. But I'm still trying to focus on my NaLu stories a bit, so…EverElf will just have to wait a bit longer, yeah? Haha.<strong>

**And I think that Sherri's giant rat thing was named Angelica, but I decided I wanted the blonde rogue mage woman to be named Angelica so I used it again anyway. Haha.**

**Anyway, thank you so much for reading! It means a lot! I hope you enjoyed it!**


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